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Terra/CERES views the Pakist
…
| Title |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave: May 2001 |
| Abstract |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave. |
| Completed |
2001-06-11 |
|
Terra/CERES views the Pakist
…
| Title |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave: May 2001 |
| Abstract |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave. |
| Completed |
2001-06-11 |
|
Terra/CERES views the Pakist
…
| Title |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave: May 2001 |
| Abstract |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave. |
| Completed |
2001-06-11 |
|
Terra/CERES views the Pakist
…
| Title |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave: May 2001 |
| Abstract |
Terra/CERES views the Pakistan heat wave. |
| Completed |
2001-06-11 |
|
Agricultural Fires in Northw
…
| Title |
Agricultural Fires in Northwest India |
| Description |
A tight cluster of red dots in the top left of this image marks the location of numerous actively burning fires at the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in northwest India. The image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite on October 22, 2004, and also shows a thick haze dammed up at the base of the towering mountains at upper right. While smoke from the fires almost certainly contributed to the haze, there may also be residual dust from dust storms in the deserts of Afghanistan and Pakistan in previous weeks, as well as urban pollution from cities in Pakistan and India. The border between the two countries runs mostly along the eastern edge of the fertile Indus River floodplain, where vegetation stands out sharply against the paler, more arid terrain in the far left portion of the image. The Indus flows southward and empties into the Arabian Sea. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
|
Floods in Pakistan
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan |
| Description |
A blistering heat wave [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12916 ] settled over southern Asia for much of June. The high temperatures melted mountain snowpacks, sending torrents of flood water down the rivers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The top Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image shows flooding along the Kabul River on June 27, 2005. The image was acquired by the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite and is shown in false color with water being dark blue, clouds light blue and white, and vegetation bright green. The lower image was taken on June 15, 2005, by the MODIS sensor flying aboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite as the river was beginning to rise. Though slightly swollen in the lower image, the river has not spread widely beyond its banks, as it appears to have done in the top image. The large images provided above are at MODIS? maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of the region in a variety of resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Floods in Pakistan
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan |
| Description |
A blistering heat wave [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12916 ] settled over southern Asia for much of June. The high temperatures melted mountain snowpacks, sending torrents of flood water down the rivers of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The top Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image shows flooding along the Kabul River on June 27, 2005. The image was acquired by the Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite and is shown in false color with water being dark blue, clouds light blue and white, and vegetation bright green. The lower image was taken on June 15, 2005, by the MODIS sensor flying aboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite as the river was beginning to rise. Though slightly swollen in the lower image, the river has not spread widely beyond its banks, as it appears to have done in the top image. The large images provided above are at MODIS? maximum resolution of 250 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of the region in a variety of resolutions. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Floods in Pakistan
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan |
| Description |
Rivers across Pakistan were grossly swollen on July 21, 2005, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image. A combination of monsoon rains and high temperatures have caused these floods. The rivers were already running high after a heat wave sent torrents of melted snow out of the mountains of northern Pakistan and India, when monsoon rain started pounding the country in early July. The taxed rivers pushed beyond their banks. In the top image, The Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab Rivers are all flooded when compared to conditions on June 24, 2005, lower image. The land near the Indian border (upper right corner), where a series of canals link small rivers, appears to be entirely covered with dark blue water. Clouds, which are light blue and white, partially obscure these floods. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 29 people have died in Pakistan?s Punjab province, the region shown in the images, since the floods began. At least 452,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with farm communities along the Indus River being particularly hard hit. To track these floods, see the daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Afghanistan ] generated by the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
|
Floods in Pakistan
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan |
| Description |
Rivers across Pakistan were grossly swollen on July 21, 2005, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image. A combination of monsoon rains and high temperatures have caused these floods. The rivers were already running high after a heat wave sent torrents of melted snow out of the mountains of northern Pakistan and India, when monsoon rain started pounding the country in early July. The taxed rivers pushed beyond their banks. In the top image, The Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab Rivers are all flooded when compared to conditions on June 24, 2005, lower image. The land near the Indian border (upper right corner), where a series of canals link small rivers, appears to be entirely covered with dark blue water. Clouds, which are light blue and white, partially obscure these floods. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that 29 people have died in Pakistan?s Punjab province, the region shown in the images, since the floods began. At least 452,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with farm communities along the Indus River being particularly hard hit. To track these floods, see the daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Afghanistan ] generated by the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
|
Floods in Pakistan
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan |
| Description |
A dual disaster hit Pakistan in the final week of June 2007. On June 23, rare heavy rains and winds swept over much of the country, and three days later, on June 26, Cyclone Yemyin (03B) blew ashore in southern Pakistan. The two storms caused extensive flooding in the country's southwest from the Arabian Sea coast to the border with Afghanistan. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) captured this image of flooding near the Indus River on July 2, 2007. The large image shows additional flooding along the coast. In this type of false-color image, made with infrared and visible light, water is dark blue or black. The lighter blue color in the north is either water-soaked land or mud-laden water. The desert landscape is tan-pink, while cropland near the Indus is green. Clouds are pale blue and white. The lower image, taken on June 23 before the storm moved in, shows normal conditions. The white streak near the right edge of the image is sunlight reflected off the wetlands around the Indus River. In the area shown here, more than 100,000 people were displaced when 800 villages were submerged by floods, said Relief Web. [ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/luFullMap/4B4253F15CBDB7D6C125730F003DC643/$File/rw_FL_pak070705.pdf?OpenElement ] As of July 4, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies [ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-74SGLW?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=FF-2007-000082-PAK ] estimated that approximately 300 lives had been lost throughout Pakistan, and 550,000 people had been displaced. You can download a 250-meter-resolution KMZ file of the flooding [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/Archive/Jul2007/pakistan_tmo_2007183.kmz ] and comparison imagery from June 23, suitable for use with Google Earth. [ http://earth.google.com/ ] NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Floods in Pakistan and India
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
Even as the summer monsoon season was drawing to a close, the rivers of eastern Pakistan flooded once again in early September 2006. Unusually heavy monsoon rains starting in May triggered floods throughout southern Asia during the summer of 2006, and India and Pakistan were among the hardest hit. In Pakistan, floods during August caused further devastation in the northeast, a region still recovering from a massive earthquake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13192 ] in October 2005. Though the August floods [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13769 ] had subsided by August 25 (lower image), a fresh round of flooding filled rivers in the east in early September. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of flooding along the Chenab River on September 5, 2006. Both the Chenab and the Jhelum flow out of the Himalaya Mountains in Kashmir, where heavy rains caused flash floods and landslides during the first week of September. Floods in Pakistan's Punjab state, the area shown in these images, killed 20 and inundated 200 villages, said the Dartmouth Flood Observatory. [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ] These images were created with infrared light to create more contrast between water and land. In this type of image, water is black or dark blue, but appears lighter when it is clouded with sediment. Plant-covered land is bright green, while barren or sparsely vegetated land is tan. Clouds are turquoise blue and white. A photo-like, true-color version [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of these images is available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Floods in Pakistan and India
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
Even as the summer monsoon season was drawing to a close, the rivers of eastern Pakistan flooded once again in early September 2006. Unusually heavy monsoon rains starting in May triggered floods throughout southern Asia during the summer of 2006, and India and Pakistan were among the hardest hit. In Pakistan, floods during August caused further devastation in the northeast, a region still recovering from a massive earthquake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13192 ] in October 2005. Though the August floods [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13769 ] had subsided by August 25 (lower image), a fresh round of flooding filled rivers in the east in early September. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of flooding along the Chenab River on September 5, 2006. Both the Chenab and the Jhelum flow out of the Himalaya Mountains in Kashmir, where heavy rains caused flash floods and landslides during the first week of September. Floods in Pakistan's Punjab state, the area shown in these images, killed 20 and inundated 200 villages, said the Dartmouth Flood Observatory. [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ] These images were created with infrared light to create more contrast between water and land. In this type of image, water is black or dark blue, but appears lighter when it is clouded with sediment. Plant-covered land is bright green, while barren or sparsely vegetated land is tan. Clouds are turquoise blue and white. A photo-like, true-color version [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of these images is available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Floods in Pakistan and India
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
Though water levels had started to recede when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image on September 10, 2006, the Jhelum River had previously risen to dangerous levels in early September 2006. Fueled by monsoon rains, floods on the Jhelum and landslides in the mountainous terrain of Indian Kashmir killed 19 and affected thousands, said the Dartmouth Flood Observatory [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ]. In the top image, new pools of blue water surround the slightly swollen river. The lower image shows conditions 10 days earlier, before the flooding started. Clouds, pale blue and white, cover the mountains on either side of the river valley. These images were created with infrared light to create more contrast between water and land. In this type of image, water is black or dark blue, but appears lighter when it is clouded with sediment. Plant-covered land is bright green, while barren or sparsely vegetated land is tan. Clouds are turquoise blue and white. Photo-like, true-color versions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of these images are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Floods in Pakistan and India
| Title |
Floods in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
Though water levels had started to recede when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image on September 10, 2006, the Jhelum River had previously risen to dangerous levels in early September 2006. Fueled by monsoon rains, floods on the Jhelum and landslides in the mountainous terrain of Indian Kashmir killed 19 and affected thousands, said the Dartmouth Flood Observatory [ http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7efloods/Archives/2006sum.htm ]. In the top image, new pools of blue water surround the slightly swollen river. The lower image shows conditions 10 days earlier, before the flooding started. Clouds, pale blue and white, cover the mountains on either side of the river valley. These images were created with infrared light to create more contrast between water and land. In this type of image, water is black or dark blue, but appears lighter when it is clouded with sediment. Plant-covered land is bright green, while barren or sparsely vegetated land is tan. Clouds are turquoise blue and white. Photo-like, true-color versions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1 ] of these images are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA images courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
|
Fog Blankets Pakistan
| Title |
Fog Blankets Pakistan |
| Description |
A blanket of fog over parts of Pakistan on November 27, 2004, created poor visibility and led to several traffic-related deaths. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra satellite that morning shows the foggy area in the center and left-center of the scene. The fog sits over the fertile region through which rivers draining out of the Himalaya Mountains (upper right) flow southward into the Indus River. By the time the MODIS sensor on the Aqua satellite captured an image of this area in the afternoon, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1/2004332/FAS_India1.2004332.aqua ] the fog had partially receded. Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
|
Fog Blankets Pakistan
| Title |
Fog Blankets Pakistan |
| Description |
A blanket of fog over parts of Pakistan on November 27, 2004, created poor visibility and led to several traffic-related deaths. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA?s Terra satellite that morning shows the foggy area in the center and left-center of the scene. The fog sits over the fertile region through which rivers draining out of the Himalaya Mountains (upper right) flow southward into the Indus River. By the time the MODIS sensor on the Aqua satellite captured an image of this area in the afternoon, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?FAS_India1/2004332/FAS_India1.2004332.aqua ] the fog had partially receded. Image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Haze along the Himalaya Fron
…
| Title |
Haze along the Himalaya Front Range |
| Description |
What may be a mixture of haze and dust is spread out in a band at the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains in northern India (occupying most of the scene) and Pakistan (at upper left) and in a second swath in the center of the scene. The haze stretches out over the Mouths of the Ganges River (right center edge) and the Bay of Bengal to the south. Beyond the high peaks of the Himalaya (top), skies are clear over the Tibetan Plateau. This image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite on November 15, 2004. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Heat Wave in Pakistan
| Title |
Heat Wave in Pakistan |
| Description |
It was not even officially summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but Pakistan was in the midst of a deadly heat wave when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image on June 10, 2007. The image shows land surface temperatures—how hot the land would feel to the touch. Except for the snow-covered mountain tops in western Pakistan and Afghanistan, land surface temperatures are all on the top end of the scale, as indicated by the prevalence of yellow and warm pink tones in the image. The Indus River is defined by its cooler surface. The vegetation and wetlands surrounding the river are cooler than the sand-and-rock landscape beyond the river valley. Airborne dust [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14300 ] over India masks the hot sands of the Great Indian Desert. The lower image shows land surface temperatures on May 18, 2007, well before the heat wave started. The dark purple regions area the frigid tops of clouds. Compared to May 18, yellow tones cover a much wider area in the June image, indicating how much the land surface had warmed. Land surface temperatures can be warmer or cooler than the air temperatures cited in weather reports. The land takes longer to heat up or cool down than the air. This is why a tile floor is so cold on a chilly winter morning, or why a sandy beach burns your feet on a summer's day. On June 10, air temperatures in parts of Pakistan reached above 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit), and this image indicates that ground temperatures climbed to about 70 degrees Celsius (160 Fahrenheit) in rocky desert regions. By June 13, the heat wave had caused 232 heat-related deaths in Pakistan, said news reports, [ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LRON-745C6X?OpenDocument ] with additional deaths in neighboring India. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Heat Wave in Pakistan
| Title |
Heat Wave in Pakistan |
| Description |
It was not even officially summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but Pakistan was in the midst of a deadly heat wave when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image on June 10, 2007. The image shows land surface temperatures—how hot the land would feel to the touch. Except for the snow-covered mountain tops in western Pakistan and Afghanistan, land surface temperatures are all on the top end of the scale, as indicated by the prevalence of yellow and warm pink tones in the image. The Indus River is defined by its cooler surface. The vegetation and wetlands surrounding the river are cooler than the sand-and-rock landscape beyond the river valley. Airborne dust [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=14300 ] over India masks the hot sands of the Great Indian Desert. The lower image shows land surface temperatures on May 18, 2007, well before the heat wave started. The dark purple regions area the frigid tops of clouds. Compared to May 18, yellow tones cover a much wider area in the June image, indicating how much the land surface had warmed. Land surface temperatures can be warmer or cooler than the air temperatures cited in weather reports. The land takes longer to heat up or cool down than the air. This is why a tile floor is so cold on a chilly winter morning, or why a sandy beach burns your feet on a summer's day. On June 10, air temperatures in parts of Pakistan reached above 50 degrees Celsius (120 Fahrenheit), and this image indicates that ground temperatures climbed to about 70 degrees Celsius (160 Fahrenheit) in rocky desert regions. By June 13, the heat wave had caused 232 heat-related deaths in Pakistan, said news reports, [ http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LRON-745C6X?OpenDocument ] with additional deaths in neighboring India. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, using data provided courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Heavy Rains Flood Pakistan
| Title |
Heavy Rains Flood Pakistan |
| Description |
Ongoing rain continues to flood southern Pakistan. On March 4, 2005, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of the taxed Dasht and Koja River basins. Sediment-laden water is light blue in contrast to the pink of the surrounding soil. Compared to February 6, the entire region is sodden with flood water. Flooding continues along the coast as well, particularly near Gwadar, where the Akra Kaur dam has overflowed. The flooded reservoir submerged several villages and cut Gwadar off from the rest of the country. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team, and the Goddard Land Processes DAAC. |
|
Heavy Rains Flood Pakistan
| Title |
Heavy Rains Flood Pakistan |
| Description |
Ongoing rain continues to flood southern Pakistan. On March 4, 2005, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite captured the top image of the taxed Dasht and Koja River basins. Sediment-laden water is light blue in contrast to the pink of the surrounding soil. Compared to February 6, the entire region is sodden with flood water. Flooding continues along the coast as well, particularly near Gwadar, where the Akra Kaur dam has overflowed. The flooded reservoir submerged several villages and cut Gwadar off from the rest of the country. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team, and the Goddard Land Processes DAAC. |
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Heavy Snows in Central Asia
| Title |
Heavy Snows in Central Asia |
| Description |
On October 8, 2005, a large earthquake [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=13192 ] shook the mountainous Kashmir region near the border of Pakistan and India. Tens of thousands of people died, and many more were isolated in the mountains by damage to roads and bridges as well as by landslides. Heavy winter snowfall poses an additional threat to millions of survivors made homeless by the quake. In the first week of January 2006, a new snow storm blanketed the mountains of Pakistan, including the region around the epicenter of the quake. This image from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov ] satellite shows snow highlighting the ridges and ravines in the mountains northeast of the city of Islamabad on January 6. According to news reports on the BBC Website, the snow is hampering aid efforts to some areas, and avalanches triggered by earthquake aftershocks continue to threaten people in some mountainous areas. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Dust Blowing off the Coast o
…
| Title |
Dust Blowing off the Coast of Pakistan |
| Description |
Intense heat can spawn dust storms, and Pakistan and India saw their share of heat and dust in the spring of 2006. A dust storm blew off the coasts of these countries and over the Arabian Sea on June 4, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. The dust cloud shown in this image is thin enough to reveal the ocean and land surface below the dust. Along the coast of India, thick sediment has turned the water a brownish-green color, near the right edge of the image. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. [ http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Dust from Southwest Asia ove
…
| Title |
Dust from Southwest Asia over Arabian Sea |
| Description |
On May 8, 2005, a veil of dust from the arid landscapes of southern Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan hung over the Arabian Sea. The S-shaped, olive green path of the Indus River in western Pakistan appears washed out beneath the dust. When this image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite, the wind was stirring dust from valley deserts and spreading it southward across the mountainous coastal terrain of Iran (which occupies most of the upper left of the scene) and Pakistan (which occupies most of the upper right). NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Dust from Southwest Asia ove
…
| Title |
Dust from Southwest Asia over Arabian Sea |
| Description |
On May 8, 2005, a veil of dust from the arid landscapes of southern Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan hung over the Arabian Sea. The S-shaped, olive green path of the Indus River in western Pakistan appears washed out beneath the dust. When this image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite, the wind was stirring dust from valley deserts and spreading it southward across the mountainous coastal terrain of Iran (which occupies most of the upper left of the scene) and Pakistan (which occupies most of the upper right). NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA-GSFC |
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Dust in Afghanistan
| Title |
Dust in Afghanistan |
| Description |
Across a wide portion of southwestern Asia, winds were whipping across deserts, sending a froth of dust into the skies on April 8, 2005. The wind raised particularly thick streamers of dust from the surfaces of the Margo Desert in southern Afghanistan and the Thar Desert, which straddles the border between Pakistan and India. Like an atmospheric alter ego of the Indus River, an airborne river of dust flows southward from the Thar Desert and out over the Arabian Sea. This image of the event was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the Goddard Earth Sciences DAAC. |
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Dust off Pakistan
| Title |
Dust off Pakistan |
| Description |
Wisps of dust blew out of Pakistan over the Arabian Sea on December 20, 2006. The dust appears to be blowing off the light-colored coastline, but it could also have been transported from the north. Indeed, another dust storm clouds the skies over the desert north of the Siahan Range. The dust appears to be coming from a distinct point source in the Chagai Hills to the north. The large white area west of the desert is the Hamun-i-Mashkel, a dry wetland or lake. The loose, silty soils found in desiccated wetlands are often a source of dust, but that does not seem to be the case in this particular storm. This photo-like image was taken on December 20, 2006, by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. Daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?ArabianSea ] of Pakistan are available from the MODIS Rapid Response Team. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. |
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Dust over Arabian Sea
| Title |
Dust over Arabian Sea |
| Description |
This true-color scene shows a heavy dust storm blowing along Pakistan?s southern coast and out over the Arabian Sea on December 14, 2003. The scene was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA?s Terra satellite. The MODIS sensor aboard NASA?s Aqua satellite also acquired this image [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003348-1214/Pakistan2.A2003348.0920 ] over the same scene later that same day. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Dust over Arabian Sea
| Title |
Dust over Arabian Sea |
| Description |
A massive dust storm on December 12, 2003, almost completely obscured large parts of southwest Asia at the time of this image, which was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite. Thick clouds of tan-colored dust wash over Iran (left), Afghanistan (top right), and Pakistan (bottom right). From Iran, the wave of dust is crashing over the Gulf of Oman, which opens into the Arabian Sea (bottom). The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at additional spatial resolutions, including MODIS? maximum resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Dust over the Arabian Sea
| Title |
Dust over the Arabian Sea |
| Description |
A number of jets of windblown desert dust (light brown plumes) were blowing over the Gulf of Oman (middle left) and the Arabian Sea (bottom center) on May 2, 2003. Originating from the Arabian Peninsula (left) as well as Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan (top center and top right, respectively), the dust obscures the surface over much of the region. This image was made using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors flying aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites at hours apart on the same day. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Dust over the Arabian Sea
| Title |
Dust over the Arabian Sea |
| Description |
On February 10, 2007, a dust plume lingered over the Arabian Sea. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite took this picture the same day. This image shows the horseshoe-shaped dust plume hanging over the ocean, just east of the coast of Oman. Although the source of this dust plume is not immediately obvious, the dust likely blew off the coasts of Pakistan and Iran. A close examination of the high-resolution imagery reveals small tendrils of dust linking those coasts and the larger plume. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust over the Arabian Sea
| Title |
Dust over the Arabian Sea |
| Description |
A number of jets of windblown desert dust (light brown plumes) were blowing over the Arabian Sea on March 2, 2003. Originating from the Arabian Peninsula (middle left) as well as Iran and Pakistan (top center and top right, respectively) the dust obscures the surface over much of the region. Notice the very thin line of clouds, much whiter and brighter than the dust, running southeastward over the Gulf of Oman and demarcating the edge of the front. Another similar cloud pattern can be seen south of Oman. Notice also the vertical discontinuity running from top to bottom through the center of this scene. This image was made using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors flying aboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites at hours apart on the same day. The scene appears a bit different to each satellite not only because the clouds and dust plumes are moving, but also because the relative angle of the sun is changing. In the righthand image (Aqua MODIS), you can discern more dark green structure in the Indian Ocean, indicating the presence of phytoplankton. The intense biological activity going on there is quite likely being enhanced by the influx of iron-rich desert dust settling into the waters there over recent days. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Dust Plume over Afghanistan
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| Title |
Dust Plume over Afghanistan and Pakistan |
| Description |
On July 21, 2007, a dust plume several hundred kilometers across swept through Afghanistan and Pakistan, largely missing neighboring Iran. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust appears as a beige swirl over the arid landscape. A break in the plume allows a relatively clear view of the land surface along the border between southern Afghanistan and Pakistan. Otherwise, dust obscures much of the view, although the dust thins somewhat in the southeast. Although dust mostly misses Iran, at least some of the storm appears to originate along the Iran-Afghanistan border. Source points for the storm appear in an area known as the Hamoun wetlands, once an oasis for people and wildlife. By the start of the twenty-first century, a combination of expanded irrigation and severe drought had sucked the region dry, and winds that had once been cooled by wetland water began blowing dust. The pale color of this dust plume is consistent with that of dried wetland soils. For more information on the Hamoun wetlands, see the Earth Observatory feature story From Wetland to Wasteland. [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/hamoun/ ] NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Dust Storm in Pakistan
| Title |
Dust Storm in Pakistan |
| Description |
A large storm is blowing thick plumes of desert dust over the Arabian Sea. The dust is coming from the shores of Pakistan (right) and Iran (left). The pattern seen in this image is common. Winds often blow down from Makran Coast Range in Western Pakistan and Eastern Iran into the coastal valleys, and carry dust out over the Sea. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] (MODIS) image was acquired by the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on November 24, 2003. The high resolution image provided above is at 500 meters per pixel. The image is also available in additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2003328-1124/Pakistan.A2003328.0640 ]. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm in Pakistan
| Title |
Dust Storm in Pakistan |
| Description |
Thick streamers of dust blew out of Pakistan on December 19, 2004. The dust storm appears to be originating near the base of the Chagai Hills near the border with Afghanistan and to the south in the hilly coastland between the Makran Coast Range and the Arabian Sea. This true-color image was acquired on December 19, 2004 by NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. The large image provided above has a resolution of 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response Team provides the image in additional resolutions. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm in Pakistan and I
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| Title |
Dust Storm in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
On June 9, 2005, a severe windstorm sent trees, billboards, and power lines crashing to the ground in the province of Punjab in western India. As residents of this populous region recovered from the severe wind and rain, they heard warnings of a dust storm in the next 24 hours. As predicted, it swept into the region the next day. This dust storm, over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) in length, stretched from central Pakistan into northern India. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]), flying on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, captured this massive dust storm on June 10, 2005. Hot temperatures in this region have set the stage for dust storms. As hot air rises, it creates a vacuum. Air that rushes in to fill the void carries dust with it. These storms are especially common in the spring and summer months. NASA image courtesy of Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ], NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust Storm over Afghanistan
| Title |
Dust Storm over Afghanistan |
| Description |
On August 17, 2004, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), aboard NASA?s Terra satellite, observed a large plume of dust blowing out of the Sistan Basin and fanning out over a large portion of southern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. Once a lush oasis spanning more than 2,000 square kilometers (800 square miles), the Hamoun Wetlands [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/hamoun/ ] were a major source of food and shelter for the people of Central Asia. Within the last decade, however, human mismanagement of the rivers feeding the once fertile wetlands has converted them mostly into salt flats?desiccated and almost devoid of life. The light sediment that once rested on the bottom of the Hamoun?s marshes now lies exposed to sun and wind. The frequent strong winds blowing through the region easily scoop up the dried silt and carry it aloft for hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. Such dust storms appear to be increasing in frequency and severity as residents in southern Afghanistan report that, during the last several years, the skies overhead have been the dustiest in living memory. The solid black line in this scene shows the border between the countries of Iran (to the left), Afghanistan (top), and Pakistan (bottom right). North in this image is toward the top. The high-resolution copy available here is 250 meters per pixel. There are also additional resolutions available. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm over Afghanistan
| Title |
Dust Storm over Afghanistan |
| Description |
On August 12, 2007, a dust storm formed where the borders of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan meet. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. This image shows the pale beige plumes of dust sweeping from the northwest in a counter-clockwise direction. The image also shows some of the source points for the plumes. From source points along the Iran-Afghanistan border, the storm covers part of northern Pakistan. NASA image courtesy the MODIS Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] at NASA GSFC. The Rapid Response Team provides daily images [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?Afghanistan/ ] of this region. |
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Dust Storm over Afghanistan
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| Title |
Dust Storm over Afghanistan and Pakistan |
| Description |
Across the dark brown ridges and rock formations of southern Afghanistan (top), Iran (left) and Pakistan (bottom right) streamers of pale dust swirl over the arid terrain in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from August 20, 2003, from the Terra satellite. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS? maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm over Afghanistan
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| Title |
Dust Storm over Afghanistan and Pakistan |
| Description |
The brown and tan landscape of deserts and rugged mountains in southern Afghanistan (top), northwest Pakistan (below), and southeastern Iran (left) may seem devoid of human presence, even moon-like. But tens of thousands of people do live in this region, and they have been suffering through months of devastating sandstorms like the one pictured blowing across the center of this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from September 23, 2003. The image shows the green vegetation growing along the banks of the Helmand River, which flows toward the center of the scene from top right. The river brings life-giving water to portions of the Margo Desert (center). The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Dust Storm over Afghanistan
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| Title |
Dust Storm over Afghanistan and Pakistan |
| Description |
Prolonged and severe drought has taken its toll on the once vital HamounWetlands in southwestern Afghanistan and eastern Iran. Formerly a green oasis for over half a million birds, the wetlands are now a desert tan in this image, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite. According to the United Nations Environment Program [ http://www.grid.unep.ch/activities/global_change/sistan.php ] (UNEP), the Helmand River, which feeds the wetlands, had been running up to 98 percent below its annual average during the past six years of drought. Decades of conflict and poor water management have also contributed to the withering of the wetlands. In 2003, the UNEP reported that 99 percent of the wetlands had dried up. The newly exposed silt is easily picked up on the wind, and dust storms frequently sweep through the Sistan Basin where the wetlands were located. On October 7, 2004, MODIS observed one such storm blanketing much of southern Afghanistan and part of Pakistan with a thick cloud of tan dust. To learn more, please read, "From Wetland to Wasteland." [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/hamoun/ ] The high-resolution copy available above is 250 meters per pixel. Additional resolutions [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2004281-1007/Pakistan.A2004281.0650 ] are also available. NASA image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response team, Goddard Space Flight Center |
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Dust Storm over Pakistan
| Title |
Dust Storm over Pakistan |
| Description |
A dust storm swept through Pakistan on May 17, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] flying onboard the Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust storm appears as a pale beige blur that obscures the land surface below. Originating in northern Pakistan, it moves southward, spreading out near the Indian border. Only a few small clouds dot the skies overhead. Dust storms often result from extremely hot, dry conditions, and according to news reports, Pakistan suffered a severe heat wave in May 2006. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov ] Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Dust Storm over Pakistan
| Title |
Dust Storm over Pakistan |
| Description |
Another dust plume swept through Pakistan on May 25, 2006. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite took this picture the same day. In this image, the dust plume appears as a pale beige cloud. Under the dust cloud, the Indus River Valley appears in darker shades of brown. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] team. |
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Dust Sweeps across the Arabi
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| Title |
Dust Sweeps across the Arabian Sea |
| Description |
Strong winds swept large plumes of dust (tan pixels) off the southern coasts of Iran and Pakistan south and eastward across the Arabian Sea on February 9, 2004. The black line running vertically through the top center of this scene shows the border between Iran and Pakistan, the easternmost tip of the Arabian Peninsula juts in to the left center of the image. This true-color image was acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), flying aboard NASA?s Terra satellite. Another image [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2004040-0209/ArabianSea2.A2004040.0915 ] was acquired a few hours later that same day by MODIS aboard the Aqua. The high-resolution image above is 500 meters per pixel, but both images are available at the sensor?s full resolution [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/?2004040-0209/ArabianSea.A2004040.0610 ] of 250 meters per pixel. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] at NASA GSFC |
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Massive Dust Storm in Pakist
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| Title |
Massive Dust Storm in Pakistan |
| Description |
Thick clouds of desert dust were blowing over Pakistan (left) and India (right) at the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains on June 9, 2003. This image of the event was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Terra satellite. The storm appears to be laying down a layer of dust on the snow-capped Himalayan peaks at top right. Red dots indicate active fire detections made by MODIS. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC |
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Phytoplankton in the Arabian
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| Title |
Phytoplankton in the Arabian Sea |
| Description |
Ribbons and swirls of yellow trace out regions of high chlorophyll concentration in the Arabian Sea in this Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image, taken by NASA?s Aqua [ http://aqua.nasa.gov/ ] satellite on February 22, 2005. High chlorophyll concentrations indicate that tiny ocean plants, called phytoplankton, are thriving near the ocean?s surface. The plants can both nourish and destroy a marine ecosystem. Phytoplankton are a major source of food for many marine animals. Regions that produce large amounts of phytoplankton also tend to support a thriving fish population. But when phytoplankton concentrations get to be too great, they can create ?dead zones? in the ocean?oxygen-poor regions where few, if any, fish can survive. Dead zones occur when phytoplankton die and begin to sink to the sea floor. Bacteria break down the plants, and if the concentration of decaying plants is high enough, the bacteria can consume all of the oxygen in the region. Satellite images such as this Aqua MODIS image help monitor phytoplankton concentrations in the world?s oceans. While high concentrations in this image do not necessarily point to dead zones, they can show where potential problems exist. Regions where no data exist because of cloud cover or other reasons are white, while land is grey. Some of the high chlorophyll concentrations seen here may be related to recent floods [ http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/natural_hazards_v2.php3?img_id=12724 ] along the coast of Pakistan. Flood water sweeps minerals from the land into the ocean, providing iron and other nutrients for phytoplankton to grow. Wind-blown dust is another source of nutrients for phytoplankton, and MODIS observed dust storms over the Arabian Sea on February 19 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?ArabianSea/2005050/ArabianSea.2005050.terra ] and February 17 [ http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/subsets/?ArabianSea/2005048/ArabianSea.2005048.terra ]. These storms may have contributed to the growth of the phytoplankton. NASA image courtesy Norman Kuring, MODIS Ocean Color Team [ http://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ] |
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Fires in Pakistan and India
| Title |
Fires in Pakistan and India |
| Description |
Numerous fires (red dots) were burning in the Punjab regions of India (right) and Pakistan (left) on either side of the border between the two. In India, the fires extend southeastward into the Haryana region as well. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) image from April 29, 2003, was captured by the Terra satellite. At top right are the Himalaya Mountains. The high-resolution image provided above is 500 meters per pixel. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides this image at MODIS' maximum spatial resolution of 250 meters. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC |
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Smog over the Bay of Bengal
| Title |
Smog over the Bay of Bengal |
| Description |
Against the arcing backdrop of the Himalaya Mountains (top of image), rivers of grayish haze follow the courses of the Ganges River and its tributaries (left) and the Brahmaputra River (right) on February 1, 2006. The plumes appear to combine like their watery counterparts and flow out together over the Bay of Bengal past the Mouths of the Ganges, the multi-pronged delta of the river along the Bangladesh coast. This image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ] on NASA's Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov ] satellite. Scientists studying the cloud of haze that frequently lingers over parts of Asia from Pakistan to China and even the Indian and Pacific Oceans have called the pollution the "Asian Brown Cloud." The mix of aerosols (tiny particles suspended in the air) includes smoke from agricultural and home heating and cooking fires, vehicle exhaust, and industrial emissions. In addition to the respiratory problems the persistent haze can cause, it also appears to hinder crops by blocking sunlight and could be altering regional weather. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained courtesy of the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Snow in the Hindu Kush
| Title |
Snow in the Hindu Kush |
| Description |
Winter settled heavily over the Hindu Kush, the mountains that curve through Afghanistan and cut into Pakistan and Tajikistan. Northern Pakistan saw it?s heaviest snowfall in 30 years, the worst of it coming during the first two weeks of February. The heavy snow has devastated all three countries, literally crushing houses and buildings and burying communities in avalanches. Tajikistan alone experienced more than 100 avalanches in populated regions after two meters of snow fell in the mountains. Officials in northern Pakistan report that 270 have died in the snowfall and avalanches, and nearly as many more have been injured. Deaths in Afghanistan have been attributed to extreme cold and related illnesses. This Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) image, acquired on February 16, 2005, by NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite, shows the extensive snowfall across southwest Asia. The image is in false color to differentiate between cloud and snow, with snow in dark red and clouds in lighter orange. Vegetation is dark green, while bare desert soil is blue-green. Clouds still blanket northern Pakistan where the storm rages on. Tajikistan is entirely covered in snow, and the central mountainous region of Afghanistan is similarly blanketed in snow. The widespread snow has cut off many of the regions in need of aid, particularly in Afghanistan, where food shortages have driven up prices in areas where food was already scarce. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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Snow in the Hindu Kush
| Title |
Snow in the Hindu Kush |
| Description |
The most severe winter to hit southwest Asia in decades has cost hundreds of lives in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. Heavy snow continues to fall over the Himalaya Mountains in both Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan. As the above image shows, both mountains and valleys are buried in snow across the region, with the exception of the Indus River valley in Pakistan. The snow has isolated many communities, stranding them without access to food supplies. Most of the deaths, however, have occurred as people have been trapped under avalanches in the steep mountains. At least 230 people died in Indian-administered Kashmir, many of them in a series of avalanches near the capital, Srinagar, where 4.5 meters (15 feet) of snow has fallen. When the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS [ http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov ]) on NASA?s Terra [ http://terra.nasa.gov/ ] satellite acquired this image on February 22, 2005, the clouds had cleared and the sun shone over Kashmir. Low cloud, slightly smoother and duller white than snow, fills the valley around Srinagar. In the high mountains exposed to the sun, the avalanche hazard could increase as melting snow becomes unstable. NASA image created by Jesse Allen, Earth Observatory, using data obtained from the MODIS Rapid Response team. |
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